Just a small speck on the map, yet one of the most prosperous: Singapore Key Question: How did Singapore’s economy become so successful after its independence?
Preface
From those people I know who visited or lived in Singapore, I often hear them talk about how Singapore is such a great place to be. I wholeheartedly agree as well from my past experience of being a resident few years ago. What makes Singapore so great? It is only an island country that is about the size of Seoul but it is one of the most recognized nation today. Singapore was subjugated by the Japanese and British and was suppressed for many years, then amalgamated with Malaysian Federation later on. After going through tough times of being a nameless country, the independence Singapore achieved was expected to be a real challenge, due to numerous economical difficulties it faced right away. In spite of having lack of natural resources and land, Singapore successfully evolved from a developing nation to a leading nation. I was amazed how a country so small can be acknowledged as powerful. Thus, I was inspired to learn more about the strategies Singapore applied to be economically successful. Through varieties of genres in this Multi-Genre Project, I will convey my idea that determination and intelligence can truly lead to triumph. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
G e n r e # 1:
My first genre is a solid research paper that can provide the readers with general overview of Singapore’s history, along with its superb qualities of its economy and society. This certainly helped me to organize all the information from the start and to set plans for the rest of my project. Like most research papers, it will be an informative approach with direct answers to my topic of Singapore’s economic success. After reading this paper, hopefully the readers can have a deeper understanding of my topic while reading other genres subsequent to this one.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Jennifer Nam
English 10D
Mr. Stephens
25 October 2009 How did Singapore's economy become so successful after its independence?
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” was said by Winston Churchill. It is astonishing how a country with such limited land, natural resources and foreign support to begin with, could have become one of the leading nations in the world. Singapore, a minuscule island located at the southern part of Malaysia, was definitely the optimist that sought opportunities. Today, Singapore is regarded as one of the most organized, ethnically diverse, and ambitious nation. It is proudly recognized as one of the four Asian Tigers, four nations with highly developed economies in Asia, along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea. Singapore went through considerable economic transformations since its independence in 1965. Currently, Singapore has the third largest oil refining capability, owns fourth largest financial centers, ninth highest per capita income and more (Mahbubani). What could have caused the economy of this tiny island to become so successful? Out of all its strengths, Singapore’s economic success derive from its intelligent leadership, discipline and services.
Singapore had truly come a long way to become what is now. In 14th century the island was part of the Sri Vljayan Empire but was little known to the West that time. In 1819, modern Singapore was established by Sir Stamford Raffles as an agent of the British East India Company, who created the city as a trading post for the British Empire. The British control of Singapore resulted about 140 years and contributed Singapore to become a major port, with trade exceeding that of Malaya's Malacca and Penang combined (Singapore (05/09)). During World War II, Japanese occupied Singapore after the fall of Singapore on 1942, but the British returned in 1945 and Singapore became the colonial rule of Britain. In 1959, Singapore amalgamated with the Federation of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak to form Malaysia. On August 9th 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia and achieved independence as Republic of Singapore (“Singapore”).
After being annexed and amalgamated for such a long time, it was not easy for Singapore to function successfully as an independent nation. Singapore struggled with definite “lack of physical resources and a small domestic market”(Singapore (05/09)). Countless economic difficulties followed continued thus Singapore had no other choice but to work strenuously with wealthy nations. Fortunately, the leaders in Singapore were mindful of forming a prosperous nation and taking prudent decisions to balance the country impartially. Nowadays, Singapore has intimate foreign relationships between U.S., China and Israel as successful trading partners. The first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, is highly esteemed today for setting the foundation for Singapore to flourish and making the government clear of corruptions. During his position as prime minister, Lee emphasized multitude of imperative things to citizens and the government: validate free and open economy, eschew all subsidy, welcome foreign investment, aim for affordable excess, value hard work, thrift and the merit of increasing productivity (Mahbubani). Lee wisely predicted in the past that international trade will be crucial later on, which is indeed the situation today. The present Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is the son of Mr. Lee, is sanguine about Singapore becoming a business center in the future, and is finding ways to corporate with China, India and Europe to play a full role in today‘s world. Singapore hitherto attracted more than seven thousand international corporations from United States, Japan, and Europe, three thousand belonging to China and India (Singapore (05/09)). A successful economy was feasible because Singapore have leaders who envision the future and make shrewd decisions ahead of time.
Singapore’s economic success is also a result of having discipline. One of the reason why Singapore is one of the countries with the most immaculate and ecological environment and also the safest is because of its strict laws and punishments. Singapore was able to accomplish the goals which other countries feels challenging. The most popular case mentioned is gum. When gum is detected at the airport in Singapore, it is taken away immediately and when it is detected inside the country, there are heavy fine up to 8037 U.S. dollars and a sentence up to a year in prison (Soltani). Other petty violations such as spitting, littering, dropping cigarette butts, jaywalking are highly prohibited as well. Smuggling and drug possession can result in death penalty (“Singapore”). Moreover, Major crimes are less likely to happen in Singapore for its harsh punishments. In fact, Singapore has the lowest crime rates in the world. “Singapore has 12 times the population of Vancouver but just half the crime rate” (Soltani). By enforcing these stringent rules, it made Singapore an unique tourist destination and a reliable country people would like to reside. This influenced its economy tremendously by attracting numerous tourists, and getting the remark of recommendation to appeal foreign companies to invest in.
Along with kudos for its leadership and discipline, Singapore provides efficient services to citizens. Singapore has high standard of living, scarce unemployment, and a literacy rate of 98 percent (Soltani). Singapore certainly lacks in homeless, destitute or starving people and its local schools provide advanced education. These were fulfilled because the nation distributes excellent services to its citizens. Poverty was ultimately eradicated “through a unique partnership between the government, corporate citizens, self-help groups and voluntary initiatives” (Mahbubani). Singapore’s state provided basic needs by ensuring financial support, security and social care. Remarkably, the poorest 5 percent of households have about the same levels of ownership of electronic luxuries such as television as the national average. “Perhaps this, combined with the tough law-and-order regime, explains why Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world” (Mahbubani). Also, its culture believe that people are its primary resource in the means of survival. Education contributes to skills and talents of the new generations that are pertinent to its rapidly growing economy ("The History of Singapore."). With educated and propertied citizens as a basis, Singapore was able to improve stably by its strenuously working people to make their nation honorable.
Being independent is indeed challenging – it requires intelligence and responsibility to carry on. After declared as Republic of Singapore in 1965, Singapore went through rapid developments that encountered numerous difficulties on the way but Singapore was optimistic and strenuous. Its tenacity to survive and thrive as a prosperous nation lead was truly inspiring. Evidently, Singapore’s strategies were successful for its economy to thrive. If Singapore stayed pessimistic with its defects, today’s Singapore would not exist. It’s cramped land and limited natural resources didn’t matter much to Singapore; satisfaction of the citizens, healthy environment, and making Singapore globally preeminent nation were their paramount considerations.
"The History of Singapore." Postcolonial and Postimperial Literature: An Overview. Web. 02 Sept. 2009. <http://www.postcolonialweb.org/singapore/history/historyov.html>.) -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
G e n r e # 2:
My second genre is more of a casual approach to my topic of Singapore’s in cultural and social aspect. I have decided to convey my information in journal entries, with first person narrative as a traveler. I have came up with this idea because I could genuinely relate to this with my past experiences. Quite frankly, I wrote most of this journals by reminiscing my past experience in Singapore few years ago as well as last spring break! This genre helped me to explain my topic because I got to write more relevantly by actually being the character in Singapore. I will be talking as an American man in the 30s who is temporarily visiting Singapore for tourism and business purpose. This travel journal includes description of his thoughts and experiences he come across during his stay at Singapore. This genre is more of a casual tone adding on to the informative genre number one.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
September 23rd, 09
2:31P.M.
I arrived at Singapore Changi Airport about ten minutes ago from my rather pleasing plane ride: watched Pirates of the Caribbean: DeadMan’s Chest for my fifth time and ate a gourmet meal, regardless of the fact that it was the economy seat. I was quiet fascinated about the Changi Airport’s services and its expedient construction. From the step I disembarked the plane to the transportation that got me here right now was not a nuisance at all, compared to other airports I have been!
The taxi driver just talked to me about something I could not comprehend except few words like “Orchard Road”. I have heard that Singaporeans use colloquial English dialect called “Singlish” that is based on British English, but it sounds like a completely different language to me! Oh well, I will somehow get used to it. The view outside is extremely bright and cloudless; it looks as its about 36°C but inside the taxi is a little chilly. It’s such a gorgeous view out there. There are so much nature even on the highway! From admiring all the vibrant trees and flowers, it’s a completely different sensation compared to my home, Boston. Well, no wonder it is so tropical here– this island is right on the equator! I better buy a sun screen lotion on the way.
I can’t wait to see the hotel my company provided me, because my boss said he reserved a good five-star hotel. And also the touring planned are making my heart beat like drums!
September 25th, 09
8:12P.M.
It has been two days since I arrived at Singapore. On the day I arrived, I went to my hotel, which was absolutely amazing, and unpacked my things and went out to Orchard Road for sightseeing of the night view of the central city. It was only about five to ten minute walk from my hotel but by the time I got there, I was sweating like a sauna. I guess long boot-cut jeans are not the most popular apparel in this country. Anyways, my first impression of the Orchard Road was immaculate, organized, and elegant, and until now I still haven’t changed that thought. Moreover, I noticed that there are so much wide-ranging ethnicity here, including Americans, Australians, Indians, Malaysians, Japanese, Koreans, and so much more. And most of the stores in shopping malls are foreign companies that had been imported. I also distinguished a huge department store called Takashimaya, which is a Japanese store.
Well anyhow, the situation I encountered that day was rather interesting: After eating black pepper chicken rice for dinner I needed to chew gum to get rid of my spicy taste out of my mouth. So I searched at the little Seven-Eleven shop but there were no gum in display! I asked the cashier where they were and he gave me a look as if I was strange and said there are no gum in Singapore. How unfortunate, I thought. Ah, then I thought maybe that is why the road was so spotless. Singapore truly must be a strict nation with restrictions like this gum policy, as well as other illegal products like drugs in sale. I find this experience very noteworthy. Hopefully America is doing the same. But at the same time, I think Singapore is an organized country partly because of its small population and land size. It would be so much easier to control and govern. But still, I think it’s amazing how Singapore economically and culturally developed without having much resources.
I’m planning to visit Clark Quay tomorrow after I get out from my work. I heard there are many delightful cuisines around that riverside quay! I just hope I can maintain my weight before I go back to America after all the yummy Singapore food for a week.
September 29th, 09
7:55 P.M.
Today is my sixth day at Singapore and I’m still enjoying every bits of it. Yesterday one of my coworker, who is a local here, asked me if I wanted to go to East Coast Park for lunch. I gladly followed him and ate at the place called Jumbo. Oh my, that place had the best chilly crab I have ever tasted in my life! Then after lunch, we walked around the park for a while and he offered me a drink at his house and I
agreed once more. I thought it would be a good experience to visit a home of a local during my stay. He lived in a neighborhood of white and lofty apartments, just like other local neighborhoods I saw around here. The apartments looked a bit old-fashioned and plain on the outside but the inside was a different atmosphere: His house was relatively small for a family of five but it was very neat and tidy. I didn’t see much decorations like lamps and frameworks like Western houses but it had marvelous TV, computers, and all the electronic luxuries! I found out that Singaporeans relatively have high standard of livings because the government provide mircocredit and adequate housing for its citizens, which result in having the lowest crime rate in the world. This, I thought, contributes to one of many other Singapore’s attributes.
The visit to Clark Quay the other day was remarkable. I was pleased that I visited after the sundown because I got to see the gorgeous night view of all the buildings and shops on the riverside. I rode a tourism boat and got to see famous sights like the Merlion statue, the “theater on bay” called Esplanade and more. I learned that Merlion is the combination of “mer” which is sea, and “lion” and it is mascot of Singapore. Also the appearance of the Esplanade caught my attention: it looked like eyes of a fly to me but people said it resembles a fruit called a durian!
Day after tomorrow is already time for my flight back home. I’m going to miss this place very much. Although it wasn’t a long trip, it was such a memorable experience. I think I had a very productive stay at Singapore, working and touring at the same time. A week wasn’t enough for me to know a whole lot of its culture but now I know how impressive this little island is.
Last but not least, my third genre consists of media, Podcast, to present an interview on a radio show. This interview is a national broadcast in Singapore on the day of its Independence day, August 9th. To bring a conventional radio setting, I used adequate jingles in between breaks, accepted interview and song requests from its audiences and more. This podcast interview is informal though the topic being discussed is rather complex. This genre helped me to explain my topic because I got to express more about its history, government and other details I did not include in my last genres. The interviewee is Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister, for being the key character during Singapore’s development since its independence. During the interview, I am going to adjust the tone of my voice into two separate ones to differentiate between the MC and Mr. Lee. The mood of the podcast is generally informative but relaxed.
Script:
JN: Hello everyone! Today is August 9th AKA Singapore’s Independence day whoo! I am your ONE and ONLY MC, jennnnnnnnam! To give you a little introduction to our today’s show, TODAY, August 9th, was the day when Singapore liberated from the Malaysian Federation and officially became an independent nation 44 years ago! MM according to my script written here, We have received more interview requests than ever and I will be sharing few of them RIGHT NOW!
- First request from SGLover892 - “Hello! I am a proud Singapore citizen! I was wondering what were some difficulties Singapore encountered when it first became an independent country.
- Second request from whitestarz - “Happy Independence Day! I think today is the most honorable day for Singapore as a nation. And Jennam, I want to know why Singapore was so successful in terms of economics, because I wasn’t sure of about it all this time!
- And lastly, request from Maroon50 - “Hello, MC Jen! Since its THE independence day of Singapore I wish today’s show is about Singapore’s history in a nutshell, and how our country came along.
Okay those some interesting requests we have received. Now it is time for our interviewee who will answer these excellent questions! Well our interviewee is one of THE most important figure during our stages of independence and development. Please give a round of welcome to.. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew!
(clapping)
ML: Hello everyone! I am Singapore’s former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. I was the first person to hold the office and did so from 1959 to 1990. As a prime minister 19 years ago, I immensely experienced and contributed to Singapore’s transformations up to now. I am presently the leader of the People’s Action Party (PAP), the leading political party in Singapore.
JN: Mr. Lee! We are honored to have you here on the show today. You are known as one of the most influential political figures in South-East Asia, and as you mentioned, People’s Action Party has taken over Singapore’s parliamentary democracy which has been effective to our rapid political, social and economic success.
ML: Yes, that is correct.
JN: And Singapore is presently one of the four Asian tigers, along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea. This was certainly a tough progression for our nation. Will you give us some brief history of how Singapore came along?
ML: Well Singapore’s history dates back to the 14th century when the island was part of the Sri Vljayan Empire. The name “Singapore” rooted from the word“Singapura” which means “lion city” in Malay word. In 1819, modern Singapore was established by Sir Stamford Raffles, who created the city as a trading station for the British Empire. The British had controlled Singapore for about a hundred and forty years and this eventually led to the English Legal System which applied to business and education in schools. This explains why Singapore’s official language is English today. By 1959, Singapore amalgamated with the Malaysian Federation until, August 9th 1965, when we achieved independence as Republic of Singapore. Singapore is currently a home to 4.2 million people, regardless of its small land area of 685 km2, It is acknowledged as a multi-ethnical nation, consisting of primarily Chinese, Malays and Indians with FOUR official languages.
JN: Wow I see. Thank you for a great summary. We will be taking a short break.
BREAK-Commercial
G: Oh John, Singapore is no fun
B: Why do you think so? I’m having such a good time here!
G: What did you do recently?
B: I visited the Duck Tours, of course!
G: Duck Tours? Like "quack quack" ducks?
B: YES! It guides you around the main sight seeing places in Singapore on a vehicle that can travel both on land AND water
G: Whoa, that sounds like FUN!
Visit the duck tours for a memorable Singapore experience
JN: Welcome back to the Jen Nam show on Singapore's Independence day, with our one and only interview with our Former Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew! Now, Mr. Lee, one of the requests asked what were some difficulties when Singapore became achieved its liberation?
ML: Well, as you are probably aware of this but, Singapore was just a miniscule country just under the southern tail of Malaysia without any experience, and completely defenseless. These factors ultimately guided us to be successful in a way but at first, major economical difficulties we faced were: small domestic market, mass unemployment, housing shortages and lack of land and natural resources such as petroleum.
JN: Then how did we overcome these sudden obstacles at this time?
ML: As a fledgling nation that just opened its eyes to the world, there was no other choice but to work strenuously with wealthy nations such as United States and China with trading and more. I also tried my best to restrain unemployment, and to raised the standard of living by implementing systems like large-scale public housing program and an independent national defense system. Moreover, since Singapore was so diverse in terms of ethnicity, racial tension was forced to be eliminated, at the same time developing our economic infrastructure. And most importantly, we did not give up our faith. We believed that our economy would be prosperous if we achieved these things: validate free and open economy, eschew all subsidy, welcome foreign investment aim for affordable excess, value hard work,, thrift and merit of increasing productivity.
JN: So those 1.. 2...3....4...5 FIVE mottos were truly effective to set up our goals for improvement, I see. Wow, Singapore evolved from a developing nation to a leading nation. This is so overwhelming! (sniff!)
ML: Hahaha it TRULY is! There are also CORE fundamentals. Write this down everyone, this is VERY important: Connectivity, Openness, Reliability and Enterprise. It is these CORE strengths, that will continue to take Singapore into the next step of growth in the future. If you look at things positively, one of the reasons why Singapore was successful compared to other nations is because Singapore was small, therefore it was an easily governed nation, also consisting of citizens who are determined.
JN: Wow, thank you SO MUCH for such an educational interview today, Mr.Lee!
ML: My pleasure. I hope today’s show was helpful for those who didn’t know much about Singapore’s success.
JN: It SURE was! And lastly, I will enlighten everyone with some superlatives of Singapore. Singapore is rated to have the best business environment in the region, and is rated the fifth best worldwide out of 60 countries. And Singapore's stock exchange is one of Asia's largest. In 2004, the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report placed Singapore among the Top 10 most sophisticated financial markets in the world. Most international banks have their regional head quarters in Singapore and close to 20% of its GDP is contributed by financial services alone.
ML: Whoo hoo! GO SINGAPORE!
JN: Yeah. That’s it for today’s show, folks. Please tune into our 93.8 Mega Hetz Jen Nam Show for next week!!
JN/ML: Happy Independence Day everyone! -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Epilogue
Before this noteworthy research, I just knew Singapore as a small island that is a decent place to live. After the opportunities to research more in depth about Singapore’s history and economy in this Multiple Genre Project, I learned immensely about what Singapore experienced to become so successful. It truly changed my perspective of Singapore for its perseverance and learned a lesson that even when you start from nothing, you can achieve anything when you are intelligent and determined. It also motivated me how an island just small as Singapore can become one of the most wealthiest nations. One of the reason why I chose a topic of Singapore for this project is because I found numerous people who didn’t even know that Singapore is a country. Thus, I wanted to make a small contribution in making Singapore a little more known to people. From reading my project, now hopefully people will remember Singapore as an island of success!
Key Question: How did Singapore’s economy become so successful after its independence?
Preface
From those people I know who visited or lived in Singapore, I often hear them talk about how Singapore is such a great place to be. I wholeheartedly agree as well from my past experience of being a resident few years ago. What makes Singapore so great? It is only an island country that is about the size of Seoul but it is one of the most recognized nation today. Singapore was subjugated by the Japanese and British and was suppressed for many years, then amalgamated with Malaysian Federation later on. After going through tough times of being a nameless country, the independence Singapore achieved was expected to be a real challenge, due to numerous economical difficulties it faced right away. In spite of having lack of natural resources and land, Singapore successfully evolved from a developing nation to a leading nation. I was amazed how a country so small can be acknowledged as powerful. Thus, I was inspired to learn more about the strategies Singapore applied to be economically successful. Through varieties of genres in this Multi-Genre Project, I will convey my idea that determination and intelligence can truly lead to triumph.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
G e n r e # 1:
My first genre is a solid research paper that can provide the readers with general overview of Singapore’s history, along with its superb qualities of its economy and society. This certainly helped me to organize all the information from the start and to set plans for the rest of my project. Like most research papers, it will be an informative approach with direct answers to my topic of Singapore’s economic success. After reading this paper, hopefully the readers can have a deeper understanding of my topic while reading other genres subsequent to this one.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Jennifer Nam
English 10D
Mr. Stephens
25 October 2009
How did Singapore's economy become so successful after its independence?
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” was said by Winston Churchill. It is astonishing how a country with such limited land, natural resources and foreign support to begin with, could have become one of the leading nations in the world. Singapore, a minuscule island located at the southern part of Malaysia, was definitely the optimist that sought opportunities. Today, Singapore is regarded as one of the most organized, ethnically diverse, and ambitious nation. It is proudly recognized as one of the four Asian Tigers, four nations with highly developed economies in Asia, along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea. Singapore went through considerable economic transformations since its independence in 1965. Currently, Singapore has the third largest oil refining capability, owns fourth largest financial centers, ninth highest per capita income and more (Mahbubani). What could have caused the economy of this tiny island to become so successful? Out of all its strengths, Singapore’s economic success derive from its intelligent leadership, discipline and services.
Singapore had truly come a long way to become what is now. In 14th century the island was part of the Sri Vljayan Empire but was little known to the West that time. In 1819, modern Singapore was established by Sir Stamford Raffles as an agent of the British East India Company, who created the city as a trading post for the British Empire. The British control of Singapore resulted about 140 years and contributed Singapore to become a major port, with trade exceeding that of Malaya's Malacca and Penang combined (Singapore (05/09)). During World War II, Japanese occupied Singapore after the fall of Singapore on 1942, but the British returned in 1945 and Singapore became the colonial rule of Britain. In 1959, Singapore amalgamated with the Federation of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak to form Malaysia. On August 9th 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia and achieved independence as Republic of Singapore (“Singapore”).
After being annexed and amalgamated for such a long time, it was not easy for Singapore to function successfully as an independent nation. Singapore struggled with definite “lack of physical resources and a small domestic market”(Singapore (05/09)). Countless economic difficulties followed continued thus Singapore had no other choice but to work strenuously with wealthy nations. Fortunately, the leaders in Singapore were mindful of forming a prosperous nation and taking prudent decisions to balance the country impartially. Nowadays, Singapore has intimate foreign relationships between U.S., China and Israel as successful trading partners. The first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, is highly esteemed today for setting the foundation for Singapore to flourish and making the government clear of corruptions. During his position as prime minister, Lee emphasized multitude of imperative things to citizens and the government: validate free and open economy, eschew all subsidy, welcome foreign investment, aim for affordable excess, value hard work, thrift and the merit of increasing productivity (Mahbubani). Lee wisely predicted in the past that international trade will be crucial later on, which is indeed the situation today. The present Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is the son of Mr. Lee, is sanguine about Singapore becoming a business center in the future, and is finding ways to corporate with China, India and Europe to play a full role in today‘s world. Singapore hitherto attracted more than seven thousand international corporations from United States, Japan, and Europe, three thousand belonging to China and India (Singapore (05/09)). A successful economy was feasible because Singapore have leaders who envision the future and make shrewd decisions ahead of time.
Singapore’s economic success is also a result of having discipline. One of the reason why Singapore is one of the countries with the most immaculate and ecological environment and also the safest is because of its strict laws and punishments. Singapore was able to accomplish the goals which other countries feels challenging. The most popular case mentioned is gum. When gum is detected at the airport in Singapore, it is taken away immediately and when it is detected inside the country, there are heavy fine up to 8037 U.S. dollars and a sentence up to a year in prison (Soltani). Other petty violations such as spitting, littering, dropping cigarette butts, jaywalking are highly prohibited as well. Smuggling and drug possession can result in death penalty (“Singapore”). Moreover, Major crimes are less likely to happen in Singapore for its harsh punishments. In fact, Singapore has the lowest crime rates in the world. “Singapore has 12 times the population of Vancouver but just half the crime rate” (Soltani). By enforcing these stringent rules, it made Singapore an unique tourist destination and a reliable country people would like to reside. This influenced its economy tremendously by attracting numerous tourists, and getting the remark of recommendation to appeal foreign companies to invest in.
Along with kudos for its leadership and discipline, Singapore provides efficient services to citizens. Singapore has high standard of living, scarce unemployment, and a literacy rate of 98 percent (Soltani). Singapore certainly lacks in homeless, destitute or starving people and its local schools provide advanced education. These were fulfilled because the nation distributes excellent services to its citizens. Poverty was ultimately eradicated “through a unique partnership between the government, corporate citizens, self-help groups and voluntary initiatives” (Mahbubani). Singapore’s state provided basic needs by ensuring financial support, security and social care. Remarkably, the poorest 5 percent of households have about the same levels of ownership of electronic luxuries such as television as the national average. “Perhaps this, combined with the tough law-and-order regime, explains why Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world” (Mahbubani). Also, its culture believe that people are its primary resource in the means of survival. Education contributes to skills and talents of the new generations that are pertinent to its rapidly growing economy ("The History of Singapore."). With educated and propertied citizens as a basis, Singapore was able to improve stably by its strenuously working people to make their nation honorable.
Being independent is indeed challenging – it requires intelligence and responsibility to carry on. After declared as Republic of Singapore in 1965, Singapore went through rapid developments that encountered numerous difficulties on the way but Singapore was optimistic and strenuous. Its tenacity to survive and thrive as a prosperous nation lead was truly inspiring. Evidently, Singapore’s strategies were successful for its economy to thrive. If Singapore stayed pessimistic with its defects, today’s Singapore would not exist. It’s cramped land and limited natural resources didn’t matter much to Singapore; satisfaction of the citizens, healthy environment, and making Singapore globally preeminent nation were their paramount considerations.
Works Cited
Mahbubani, Kishore. "Following Singapore's lead on the road of development." Welcome to Singapore Window. Web. 02 Sept. 2009. <http://www.singapore-window.org/sw01/010115et.htm>.
"Singapore (05/09)." U.S. Department of State. May 2008. Web. 17 Sept. 2009. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2798.htm>.
Soltani, Pam. "Crime & Punishment in Singapore | PRM 2003." Langara College | Learn more. 2003. Web. 08 Sept. 2009. <http://www.langara.bc.ca/creative-arts/publishing/prm/2003/singapore.html>.
"Singapore." Welcome to Travel.State.Gov. 26 Aug. 2009. Web. 08 Sept. 2009. <http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1017.html>.
"The History of Singapore." Postcolonial and Postimperial Literature: An Overview. Web. 02 Sept. 2009. <http://www.postcolonialweb.org/singapore/history/historyov.html>.)
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
G e n r e # 2:
My second genre is more of a casual approach to my topic of Singapore’s in cultural and social aspect. I have decided to convey my information in journal entries, with first person narrative as a traveler. I have came up with this idea because I could genuinely relate to this with my past experiences. Quite frankly, I wrote most of this journals by reminiscing my past experience in Singapore few years ago as well as last spring break! This genre helped me to explain my topic because I got to write more relevantly by actually being the character in Singapore. I will be talking as an American man in the 30s who is temporarily visiting Singapore for tourism and business purpose. This travel journal includes description of his thoughts and experiences he come across during his stay at Singapore. This genre is more of a casual tone adding on to the informative genre number one.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
September 23rd, 09
2:31P.M.
I arrived at Singapore Changi Airport about ten minutes ago from my rather pleasing plane ride: watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead
The taxi driver just talked to me about something I could not comprehend except few words like “Orchard Road”. I have heard that Singaporeans use colloquial English dialect called “Singlish” that is based on British English, but it sounds like a completely different language to me! Oh well, I will somehow get used to it. The view outside is extremely bright and cloudless; it looks as its about 36°C but inside the taxi is a little chilly. It’s such a gorgeous view out there. There are so much nature even on the highway! From admiring all the vibrant trees and flowers, it’s a completely different sensation compared to my home, Boston. Well, no wonder it is so tropical here– this island is right on the equator! I better buy a sun screen lotion on the way.
I can’t wait to see the hotel my company provided me, because my boss said he reserved a good five-star hotel. And also the touring planned are making my heart beat like drums!
September 25th, 09
8:12P.M.
It has been two days since I arrived at Singapore. On the day I arrived, I went to my hotel, which was absolutely amazing, and unpacked my things and went out to Orchard Road for sightseeing of the night view of the central city. It was only about five to ten minute walk from my hotel but by the time I got there, I was sweating like a sauna. I guess long boot-cut jeans are not the most popular apparel in this
Well anyhow, the situation I encountered that day was rather interesting: After eating black pepper chicken rice for dinner I needed to chew gum to get rid of my spicy taste out of my mouth. So I searched at the little Seven-Eleven shop but there were no gum in display! I asked the cashier where they were and he gave me a look as if I was strange and said there are no gum in Singapore. How unfortunate, I thought. Ah, then I thought maybe that is why the road was so spotless. Singapore truly must be a strict nation with restrictions like this gum policy, as well as other illegal products like drugs in sale. I find this experience very noteworthy. Hopefully America is doing the same. But at the same time, I think Singapore is an organized country partly because of its small population and land size. It would be so much easier to control and govern. But still, I think it’s amazing how Singapore economically and culturally developed without having much resources.
I’m planning to visit Clark Quay tomorrow after I get out from my work. I heard there are many delightful cuisines around that riverside quay! I just hope I can maintain my weight before I go back to America after all the yummy Singapore food for a week.
September 29th, 09
7:55 P.M.
Today is my sixth day at Singapore and I’m still enjoying every bits of it. Yesterday one of my coworker, who is a local here, asked me if I wanted to go to East Coast Park for lunch. I gladly followed him and ate at the place called Jumbo. Oh my, that place had the best chilly crab I have ever tasted in my life! Then after lunch, we walked around the park for a while and he offered me a drink at his house and I
a
The visit to Clark Quay the other day was remarkable. I was pleased that I visited after the sundown because I got to see the gorgeous night view of all the buildings and shops on the riverside. I rode a tourism boat and got to see famous sights like the Merlion statue, the “theater on bay” called Esplanade and more. I learned that Merlion is the combination of “mer” which is sea, and “lion” and it is mascot of Singapore. Also the appearance of the Esplanade caught my attention: it looked like eyes of a fly to me but people said it resembles a fruit called a durian!
Day after tomorrow is already time for my flight back home. I’m going to miss this place very much. Although it wasn’t a long trip, it was such a memorable experience. I think I had a very productive stay at Singapore, working and touring at the same time. A week wasn’t enough for me to know a whole lot of its culture but now I know how impressive this little island is.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
G e n r e # 3:
Last but not least, my third genre consists of media, Podcast, to present an interview on a radio show. This interview is a national broadcast in Singapore on the day of its Independence day, August 9th. To bring a conventional radio setting, I used adequate jingles in between breaks, accepted interview and song requests from its audiences and more. This podcast interview is informal though the topic being discussed is rather complex. This genre helped me to explain my topic because I got to express more about its history, government and other details I did not include in my last genres. The interviewee is Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister, for being the key character during Singapore’s development since its independence. During the interview, I am going to adjust the tone of my voice into two separate ones to differentiate between the MC and Mr. Lee. The mood of the podcast is generally informative but relaxed.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Podcast:
Script:
JN: Hello everyone! Today is August 9th AKA Singapore’s Independence day whoo! I am your ONE and ONLY MC, jennnnnnnnam! To give you a little introduction to our today’s show, TODAY, August 9th, was the day when Singapore liberated from the Malaysian Federation and officially became an independent nation 44 years ago! MM according to my script written here, We have received more interview requests than ever and I will be sharing few of them RIGHT NOW!
- First request from SGLover892 - “Hello! I am a proud Singapore citizen! I was wondering what were some difficulties Singapore encountered when it first became an independent country.
- Second request from whitestarz - “Happy Independence Day! I think today is the most honorable day for Singapore as a nation. And Jennam, I want to know why Singapore was so successful in terms of economics, because I wasn’t sure of about it all this time!
- And lastly, request from Maroon50 - “Hello, MC Jen! Since its THE independence day of Singapore I wish today’s show is about Singapore’s history in a nutshell, and how our country came along.
Okay those some interesting requests we have received. Now it is time for our interviewee who will answer these excellent questions! Well our interviewee is one of THE most important figure during our stages of independence and development. Please give a round of welcome to.. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew!
(clapping)
ML: Hello everyone! I am Singapore’s former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. I was the first person to hold the office and did so from 1959 to 1990. As a prime minister 19 years ago, I immensely experienced and contributed to Singapore’s transformations up to now. I am presently the leader of the People’s Action Party (PAP), the leading political party in Singapore.
JN: Mr. Lee! We are honored to have you here on the show today. You are known as one of the most influential political figures in South-East Asia, and as you mentioned, People’s Action Party has taken over Singapore’s parliamentary democracy which has been effective to our rapid political, social and economic success.
ML: Yes, that is correct.
JN: And Singapore is presently one of the four Asian tigers, along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea. This was certainly a tough progression for our nation. Will you give us some brief history of how Singapore came along?
ML: Well Singapore’s history dates back to the 14th century when the island was part of the Sri Vljayan Empire. The name “Singapore” rooted from the word“Singapura” which means “lion city” in Malay word. In 1819, modern Singapore was established by Sir Stamford Raffles, who created the city as a trading station for the British Empire. The British had controlled Singapore for about a hundred and forty years and this eventually led to the English Legal System which applied to business and education in schools. This explains why Singapore’s official language is English today. By 1959, Singapore amalgamated with the Malaysian Federation until, August 9th 1965, when we achieved independence as Republic of Singapore. Singapore is currently a home to 4.2 million people, regardless of its small land area of 685 km2, It is acknowledged as a multi-ethnical nation, consisting of primarily Chinese, Malays and Indians with FOUR official languages.
JN: Wow I see. Thank you for a great summary. We will be taking a short break.
BREAK-Commercial
G: Oh John, Singapore is no fun
B: Why do you think so? I’m having such a good time here!
G: What did you do recently?
B: I visited the Duck Tours, of course!
G: Duck Tours? Like "quack quack" ducks?
B: YES! It guides you around the main sight seeing places in Singapore on a vehicle that can travel both on land AND water
G: Whoa, that sounds like FUN!
Visit the duck tours for a memorable Singapore experience
JN: Welcome back to the Jen Nam show on Singapore's Independence day, with our one and only interview with our Former Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew! Now, Mr. Lee, one of the requests asked what were some difficulties when Singapore became achieved its liberation?
ML: Well, as you are probably aware of this but, Singapore was just a miniscule country just under the southern tail of Malaysia without any experience, and completely defenseless. These factors ultimately guided us to be successful in a way but at first, major economical difficulties we faced were: small domestic market, mass unemployment, housing shortages and lack of land and natural resources such as petroleum.
JN: Then how did we overcome these sudden obstacles at this time?
ML: As a fledgling nation that just opened its eyes to the world, there was no other choice but to work strenuously with wealthy nations such as United States and China with trading and more. I also tried my best to restrain unemployment, and to raised the standard of living by implementing systems like large-scale public housing program and an independent national defense system. Moreover, since Singapore was so diverse in terms of ethnicity, racial tension was forced to be eliminated, at the same time developing our economic infrastructure. And most importantly, we did not give up our faith. We believed that our economy would be prosperous if we achieved these things: validate free and open economy, eschew all subsidy, welcome foreign investment aim for affordable excess, value hard work,, thrift and merit of increasing productivity.
JN: So those 1.. 2...3....4...5 FIVE mottos were truly effective to set up our goals for improvement, I see. Wow, Singapore evolved from a developing nation to a leading nation. This is so overwhelming! (sniff!)
ML: Hahaha it TRULY is! There are also CORE fundamentals. Write this down everyone, this is VERY important: Connectivity, Openness, Reliability and Enterprise. It is these CORE strengths, that will continue to take Singapore into the next step of growth in the future. If you look at things positively, one of the reasons why Singapore was successful compared to other nations is because Singapore was small, therefore it was an easily governed nation, also consisting of citizens who are determined.
JN: Wow, thank you SO MUCH for such an educational interview today, Mr.Lee!
ML: My pleasure. I hope today’s show was helpful for those who didn’t know much about Singapore’s success.
JN: It SURE was! And lastly, I will enlighten everyone with some superlatives of Singapore. Singapore is rated to have the best business environment in the region, and is rated the fifth best worldwide out of 60 countries. And Singapore's stock exchange is one of Asia's largest. In 2004, the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report placed Singapore among the Top 10 most sophisticated financial markets in the world. Most international banks have their regional head quarters in Singapore and close to 20% of its GDP is contributed by financial services alone.
ML: Whoo hoo! GO SINGAPORE!
JN: Yeah. That’s it for today’s show, folks. Please tune into our 93.8 Mega Hetz Jen Nam Show for next week!!
JN/ML: Happy Independence Day everyone!
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Epilogue
Before this noteworthy research, I just knew Singapore as a small island that is a decent place to live. After the opportunities to research more in depth about Singapore’s history and economy in this Multiple Genre Project, I learned immensely about what Singapore experienced to become so successful. It truly changed my perspective of Singapore for its perseverance and learned a lesson that even when you start from nothing, you can achieve anything when you are intelligent and determined. It also motivated me how an island just small as Singapore can become one of the most wealthiest nations. One of the reason why I chose a topic of Singapore for this project is because I found numerous people who didn’t even know that Singapore is a country. Thus, I wanted to make a small contribution in making Singapore a little more known to people. From reading my project, now hopefully people will remember Singapore as an island of success!-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Images:
Introduction photo- http://www.flickr.com/photos/25999560@N05/2460931551/
Genre2 pic #1- taken by Jennifer Nam
Genre2 pic #2- http://www.flickr.com/photos/filan/2909032857/
Genre2 pic #3- http://www.fgautron.com/gallery/albums/singaporemar2005/DSC00484.jpg